Skirting the Middle: What’s keeping women off the ballot?

It hardly seems appropriate to begin a column about state and local legislative issues affecting women without addressing the lack of women in the legislature. A former female state representative once told me that she wanted to see more women in the legislature, but not because she thought that they were more capable legislators or better policy makers. She wanted to see more women in the legislature because women make up half of the population, half of the opinions, and half of the insight – a half that is largely untapped. In my state, between the House and Senate, there are nearly 200 legislators. However, only 20 percent of these seats are held by women, a ratio that has not changed in roughly two decades. Women get elected in state and local races at nearly the same rate as their male counterparts, which leaves only one question to be asked. Why aren’t women running?

After the jump, why a citizen legislature and term limits disadvantage women ...

Avenues to Government

Editor's Note: Ms. JD's annual conference, Avenues to Advancement, was held November 20-21 in Chicago. These are six pieces of advice from the Avenues to Government panel.

Although lawyers in the public sector often make far less than lawyers in the private sector, that is not an indicator of the difficulty of the job or of getting in the door.  The panelists on our Avenues to Government panel offered some myths and truths about working for the government and offered some tips to help you get public sector job.  Below are two of these myths and three tips to help you get started.

Mythbusting

Myth #1: Lawyers in the public sector are not as good as lawyers in the private sector.

This is absolutely false.  As one of our panelists stressed: lawyers in the public sector are some of the best and the brightest lawyers in the profession.  And they demand excellence as much, if not more, than lawyers in private practice.

Myth #2: The training is better in private practice.

The truth is that the training is often different.  One panelist stated that she did not have any “real” training, but was just thrown into the water and had to swim.  Another panelist jumped in to note that this was training – real experience training – and that is huge! Public sector training if often informal, but it teaches lawyers how to multitask and how to run by the seat of their pants – both great skills for lawyers, especially in this economy. 

Get in the Door

Tip #1: Intern!

In the public sector, other than in politics, it is less about who you know and more about the process, at least at the early stages.  So get some real experience.  If you are struggling to find a meaningful experience, look outside the box.  Be willing to work for little or no pay for some time, think about clerking and get involved in your community.

Tip #2: Be a joiner.

Just because who you know matters less, it does not mean it doesn’t matter at all.  Being connected means you’re more likely to hear about positions that fit your interests.  So join your local or state bar association or a community organization.  Get involved with these groups and gain connections. And remember: don’t burn your bridges.  You never know who might be able to help you out in the future.

Tip #3:  Keep track of everything you do.

Whether you’re speaking on a panel, attending a training session or earning CLE credits – write it all down and keep it handy.  It will show your connections, your motivation and your experience, so when the right job comes along, you can prove that you’re prepared. 

Hillary Clinton: The Trailblazer

Dubbing her a "trailblazing political pioneer," Hillary Clinton was named a 2008 Woman of the Year by Glamour Magazine.

Although she did not reach the White House, Kati Marton writes that Hillary "won while losing."

She continues to be a huge force on every topic she cares about, and her stature remains undiminished throughout the world. “Hillary has emerged as an international symbol of the endeavor to give globalization a more human face,” says Michelle Bachelet, the president of Chile. Hillary’s famous “18 million cracks” in the glass ceiling—the number of votes cast for her in the primaries—represent the closest any woman has ever come to the greatest prize in the world, the presidency of the United States. Her candidacy defined the high-water mark of the women’s movement in American political life—so far.

First Female Solicitor General?

The U.S. Solicitor General position has been held by many prominent lawyers--Thurgood Marshall and Robert Bork, to name two--but the position has yet to be filled by a woman. Several sources are reporting that "some women could be on Obama's short list for the spot", including Washington lawyer Beth Brinkmann, Stanford Law School professor and former dean Kathleen Sullivan, Harvard Law Dean Elena Kagan, former New York State solicitor general Preeta Bansal, and MetLife litigation counsel Teresa Wynn Roseborough.

Reporting on the immediate impact Obama's decision could have, Joan Biskupic writes:

Unlike justices, who are appointed for life, the solicitor general (SG) serves for four years or less during the president's term. A vacancy on the bench may arise by next summer. Five of the nine justices are 70 or older, and John Paul Stevens is 88. In recent decades, retiring justices generally have waited until the end of a court term, around June, to reveal their intentions.

Election Victories for Women Lawyers

Contested seats go to women in Wake's district court:

Three women -- Jacqueline Brewer, Christine Walczyk and Anna E. Worley -- earned spots on Wake County's District Court benches, beating out their male opponents in Tuesday's election.

The three races at the District Court level were the only contested ones in the Wake County Courthouse, with most of the 11 District Court judges running unopposed for re-election.

Michelle Obama: Lawyer and First Lady

Michelle Obama, lawyer and wife of President-Elect Barack Obama, is now about to assume the role of first lady.  In honor of this event, Ms. JD offers this brief biography of Michelle Obama:

Michelle Obama was born on the South Side of Chicago, and graduated with her undergraduate degree from Princeton University.  She then attended Harvard Law School.  While there, she participated in political demonstrations, especially advocating for the hiring of a diverse faculty.  Upon graduation, she returned to work in Chicago.

Michelle Obama worked for the law firm Sidley Austin, on the staff of the Mayor of Chicago Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago Hospitals.  While at Sidley Austin, she worked on marketing and intellectual property.  She has not only had a successful legal career, but will now be the first African American First Lady of the United States.  Michelle Obama is also the dedicated mother of two girls.

New Talk Conversation Announcement: What is the role of the courts in making social policy?

New Talk is a new online forum designed to tackle tough policy issues directly, with ongoing commentary from leading experts and policymakers on the frontline of said issues.  The next question to be addressed by New Talk is, "What is the role of the courts in making social policy?"  The conversation begins Tuesday, July 8th and runs through Thursday, July 10th.

Experts scheduled to participate in this next conversation include: Michael Traynor, President, American Law Institute; Lord Hoffman, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary; Kenneth Feinberg, Principal, The Feinberg Group; Theodore H. Frank, Director, AEI Legal Center for the Public Interest; Mark Geistfeld, Crystal Eastman Professor of Law, NYU School of Law; and Phillip Howard, founder of Common Good and New Talk.

Ms. JD encourages its readers to participate in the online conversation!  Log on to www.newtalk.org to post your comments alonside the experts' dialog as the conversation unfolds.  Ms. JD also encourages its readers to continue the discussion on Ms. JD after the conclusion of the New Talk conversation.

Ms. JD has, therefore, created a General Discussion forum post especially for this purpose.  The forum topic can be found under the General Discussion category, entitled 'What is the role of the courts in making social policy?"  So debate away!

Clippings: Envisioning a Successful Female Presidential Candidate

Kate Zernicki makes some predictions about who, after Senator Clinton, will be the next serious female contender for the Presidency:

That woman will come from the South, or west of the Mississippi. She will be a Democrat who has won in a red state, or a Republican who has emerged from the private sector to run for governor. She will have executive experience, and have served in a job like attorney general, where she will have proven herself to be “a fighter” (a caring one, of course).

She will be young enough to qualify as postfeminist (in the way Senator Barak Obama has come off as postracial), unencumbered by the battles of the past. She will be married with children, but not young children. She will be emphasizing her experience, and wearing, yes, pantsuits.